And Now We Are Strangers
by sansalannistark
Summary: Addison becomes a therapist to Mark. Mark/Lexie with mentions of Addison/Mark


Addison observed quietly, her eyebrows were raised in shock as they had been since her former-lover-turned-friend Mark Sloan had walked in the room. He was now sat across from her looking utterly torn judging by the bow of his head, which rested in his skilled surgical hands. _No wonder,_ Addison thought scathingly. Everything he'd just told her conflicted with everything people – including Addison – knew about Mark Everett Sloan.

Truth be told, it had freaked her when Mark had burst in raving about something that at first had been unintelligible until Addison had made him stop, breathe and sit down. Once he'd told her it started to make sense though she was still in shock.

The Mark she had always known had well and truly been the 'sex-god' of the hospital, infamous for shagging just about every nurse within a 5 mile radius and renowned for a good night: a fact which Addison knew from experience.

Mark Sloan didn't do _caring._

Never had he done relationships. Never had he done love. Never had he done forever.

So _of course_ it surprised her when he confessed he had fallen in love. Hell, she'd almost choked on disbelief. True, their relationships had been more than once, but it had never been _that_ sort of relationships. It was just... sex, she guessed. And it had been over for years now.

Addison found it laughable that he was coming to her, of all people for advice. Not just because of their past but the fact that she was Addison Forbes Montgomery. She didn't exactly have a reputation as a woman who expressed the kind of unconditional love that Mark so clearly wanted.

Relationships. Somehow the words didn't seem to mingle very well in Addison's mouth. Suddenly, she didn't feel like she knew her friend very well at all. _It's all about what you know about a person. Perhaps I don't know very much about him at all._ The thought tightened like rope, clinging curiously onto Addison's consciousness. She couldn't shake it, always believing that she was closest, that she knew him best. Apparently not.

And of course, to add insult to injury, it had to be a Grey that he fell for. Lexie Grey to be precise – I mean, just imagining _Meredith_ and Mark as a couple had her laughing out loud. Mark looked up quizzically and Addison tried to stifle her small fit.

"What? I didn't come here to be mocked," Mark started to growl.

"It's nothing... doesn't matter..." She managed.

"Addy, I'm looking for advice here not ridicule," Mark repeated, looking more and more pissed off by the minute.

"Oh no it's nothing like that, just a thought that came out of nowhere."

Mark eyed her suspiciously but shut his mouth, evidently satisfied. "Well?"

"Well?" She replied. "Well what?"

"What am I supposed to do about Lexie?"

"For a start, Mark, I can't understand why, out of everyone you could have chosen, you've come to me?"

"I came because you're my friend and," Mark added earnestly, "because you're the only one I trust not to say anything."

"Yeah, but we were lovers, as much as we have moved on now and I'm the worst choice of person for you to be talking about the love of your life with." Addison looked at him pointedly as she explained.

"Who said anything about her being the love of my life? I said nothing of the sort..."

"You're a pathetic liar Mark Sloan." Addison shook her head at the man, leaning back in her chair as she waited for mark to speak.

"What does it matter anyway," Mark sighed. "Derek has – explicitly, I might add – forbidden me from even looking at Little Grey."

"And since when has Derek ever stopped you from doing something?"

"It's not that simple Addy-"

"Why not?" She bit back. "You obviously feel something for her that never existed between you and I or one of those scrub nurses. Screw Derek and go after Little Grey."

"Derek? I mean, he's got great hair and all but he's not really my type."

Even Addison couldn't resist a smile at that last comment. Maybe she had helped – after all, what signified mark more than his signature teasing smile? The only thing that bothered Addison was that she found she didn't care who mark was dating. Perhaps – in her mind – she had anticipated feeling rejected or unloved but she felt nothing of the sort.

It was all about what you knew about a person, she reflected as Mark left the room.

Perhaps the Mark she had known and the old cheating Addison has finally matured and they could both be happy.

She hoped.


End file.
